The present invention relates to a torch, and in particular to a torch tip, designed for easy heating, brazing and soldering around tubular objects such as pipes, and particularly a plurality of pipes simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,333, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a hook-like flame tip including an arcuate body extending for a full half-circle with a short straight section with its distal end closed by a cap, and an angular rear terminal threaded for engagement with a conventional coupling connecting the flame tip to a conventional torch. The arcuate body includes a plurality of spaced radial flame apertures which direct flame jets to the object being heated, brazed or soldered, for example.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,568 discloses a multiflame torch tip including an elongated tubular handle or housing that mounts to a torch, a tubular stem, and a tip head joined to the tip stem, the tip head being arcuately curved through an angle of at least 240xc2x0 and having two opposed closed terminal ends. The tip head includes a plurality of spaced outlet orifices which direct flame jets to the object being acted upon.
Neither of these devices, however, is configured to attach or remove more than one pipe at a time. For instance, in a heat pump air conditioning system, a reversing or reciprocal valve can have a plurality of pipes, conduits or tubing connected thereto. Since the location of the reversing valve generally provides very little space in which to work, and since the plurality of pipes are spaced close together, it is virtually impossible to remove the pipes by liquefying the solder using conventional equipment. Indeed, often one or more of the pipes is removed by sawing, thereby requiring a time-consuming retrofit operation to reattach them.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a torch including a multiflame torch tip that can simultaneously remove or attach a plurality of pipes by heating, soldering, brazing or welding.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a torch tip that exhibits improved flame stability and flame direction accuracy.
The problems of the prior art have been overcome by the present invention, which provides a torch including a torch tip adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel gas and oxygen source for generating a flame, the torch tip including a tubular or substantially tubular body having a plurality of spaced orifices therein, wherein the tubular body preferably is substantially U-shaped and includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel elongated legs. The plurality of spaced orifices are located on each leg and are configured to each emit a flame towards an object to heat the same. The present invention also relates to a method of simultaneously attaching or removing a plurality of pipes or the like from an object using the torch tip.